Assessing Medicinal Plants Biodiversity in and Around Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

An assessment of medicinal plants biodiversity in and around Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, by quadrats methods. The results shows the diversity of 25 most predominant medicinal plant species found near the surveyed area, trees (134 species) were the primary source of medicine followed by shrubs (116), herbs (96), vines (17), climbers (10), grasses (06), twiners (03), creeper (01) and fern (01). Vegetation still posses high demand for its medicinal properties.


INTRODUCTION
Man has used plants to alleviate suffering and disease since times immemorial. The use of medicinal plants is as old as human civilization. Medicinal plants have been the subjects of man's curiosity since time immemorial. Almost every civilization has a history of medicinal plant use. Approximately 80% of the people in the world's developing countries rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care, and about 85% of traditional medicine involves the use of plant extracts (Abbink, 1995).
Ethno-botanical information on plants and their uses by indigenous people is useful not only for the conservation of traditional knowledge and biodiversity, but also to promote community health care, and might serve in drug development. The information can provide a guide for drug development, assuming that a plant that has been used by indigenous people over a long period of time may well have an allopathic application.
One fifth of all the plants found in India are used for medicinal purpose. The world average stands at 12.5% while India has 20% plant species of medicinal value and which are in use.
Although it is difficult to estimate the total number of medicinal plants present worldwide, the fact remains true that India with rich biodiversity ranks first in per cent flora, which contain active medicinal ingredient. With about 1,100 plants species frequently being used in Indian system of healthcare and medicines for preparation of ayurvedic, unani and homeopathic drugs, India is rich in medicinal plant diversity which is distributed in different geographical, environmental conditions and associated tribal & folk knowledge systems. The tribal people mostly depend on forests for their livelihood and up to 70% of the rural population still depends on traditional medicine as a primary healthcare source. India has nearly 67.8 million tribal people belonging to 550 communities of 227 ethnic groups and they lead a nomadic life in about 5000 forested villages. The tribals contribute 8.10% of the total population of India. Each tribal community has its own social and cultural identity. In India, about 116 different dialects and 227 subsidiary dialects are spoken by tribal communities (Bhalla et al., 1996).
In India much literature, relevant to ethnobotany can be traced in the Vedic literature, Charak and Shusruta and Charak samhita appeared as the most important works. A large portion of this country was covered with forests which yielded a number of medicinal plants. These plants were initiated extensively in Ayurvedic system of medicine since many centuries.
Very little organised work had been done in the country till about thirty years ago. Organised field work and other studies in the subject were started in the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). Also there has been a resurgence of interest developed in ethnobotanical research in various institutions. Dr. E.K. Janaki Aromal initiated researches on ethnobotany in BSI. Dr. S.K. Jain from BSI started intensive field work among the tribals of Central India. He devised methodology for ethnobotany particularly in the Indian context. The publications from this group in the early sixties triggered the ethnobotanical activity in many other centres, particularly among botanists, anthropologists and medical practioners etc. in India. During the last four decades similar work has been initiated at various centres Sucn as National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) at Lucknow, National Bureau of plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) at Delhi, Central Council of Research in Unani Medicines (CCRUM), Central Council of Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) and in some other institutions. Medicinal plants play a key role in development and advancement of the modern studies by serving a starting point for the development of the novelty the drug (Pramono, 2002). Keeping in view the importance an investigation was carried out Assessing medicinal trees and shrubs biodiversity in and around Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study 8 number selected in slum areas of Bhubaneswar, Odisha where some tribes live in patches. They are not native to Bhubaneswar, rather they have migrated here from various other districts of Odisha in search of livelihood and with them have brought their traditional knowledge of plants.

Geographical location and physiography
Bhubaneshwar, the capital city of Odisha, India, lies at an elevation of about 45 meters (148 feet) above the mean sea level (MSL) covering a geographical area of 124.74 sq. km. It is situated in the eastern coastal plains and coordinates at 21° 15' North Latitude and 85° 15' East Longitude south-west of the river Mahanadi and is surrounded by its tributaries like the Daya River and the Kuakhai River in the south and east, respectively.

Climate and weather
Bhubaneswar lies in the tropical zone and experiences a tropical climate. The three seasons that dominates the city are summer, winter, and monsoons. The summers are hot and the winters are dry. The monsoons are awfully humid. Both heat and cold waves sweep through the city in the summer and winter months every year. Bhubaneswar experiences summer from the months of March to May when the mercury reaches to a maximum of 40 °C to 45 °C. Monsoons are brought about by the south-east monsoon winds in the month of June and continues till October. July and August receives the maximum rainfall. The average annual rainfall recorded in the city is 1,500 mm. December and January are chilly because of the chilly winds descending from the north and northeast. The average temperature wavers between 15°C to 18°C in the winter. Soil Bhubaneswar is topographically divided into western uplands and eastern lowlands with hillocks in the western and northern parts. The soils of Bhubaneswar are 65 per cent laterite, 25 per cent alluvial and 10 per cent sandstone. They belong to the taxonomic order of Areic propaquepts. These are acidic in soil reaction (i.e., low pH) and their organic carbon content ranges from low to high. Available nitrogen (N) content is low, whereas available phosphoros (P), potassium (K) and sulfur (S) varies between low to medium. Sample and sampling procedure Selection of slums In Bhubaneswar, those slum areas where some tribals dwell were identified by consulting the office of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. The nearby tribal slums, mostly those close to the forest area (Chandaka Forest), were selected randomly for the study purpose. In this way, 8 slums namely, Patia Jali Munda Sahi; Birsa Nagar; Bhoisahi, Shampur; Behera Basti; Adivasi Basti; Birsha Munda Slum; Nandini Palli Munda Sahi and Jalisahi & Saliasahi, Patia were considered for this study.

Method of plant sample collection for biodiversity assessment
Random points were chosen near the study area i.e., the slums, where vegetation in fair amount was clearly observed. In those selected points quadrats were laid down with the help of ropes and poles. These quadrats were laid in different dimensions depending upon the habit of plants to be identified. For instance, a floral cover of 10m X 10m was created for the identification of tree species. Similarly, for the identification of shrubs and herbs, the floral cover of 5m X 5m dimensions were created. In this way, four quadrats (2 quadrats for counting tree species and another 2 quadrats for counting shrubs and herbs) were laid down in each of the study area. This area was then surveyed by getting a thorough count of the number of plants in it. Any unknown plant species was either photographed or collected in order to get it identified later on. Rest were identified, enumerated and documented. The individual species of plants that come within the enclosed area were counted and noted down (Curtis & Cottom, 1956).

Species diversity calculation
In each quadrat, data was gathered by manually counting the different species of plantstrees, shrubs, herbs, etc. The data were collected, classified and analyzed to calculate diversity index and evenness quotient of the most predominant species found in all the quadrats. Species diversity is defined as the measure of the diversity within an ecological population that includes both species richness (the number of species in a community) and the evenness of species' abundances. Species richness is one of the most important elements in biodiversity, because the number of species existing at a site is a quantitative measure of biodiversity and it allows comparison with other sites.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
India topographic and climatic diversity has a very rich and diverse flora. Biodiversity Is the most important wealth of our planet and form the foundation upon which human civilization is built. All socio cultural economic and other activates of mankind are directly or indirectly associated with various environmental resources. Assessments of the medicinal plants had been done in various parts around the world (Uprety et al., 2012). It was found that the traditional practioners are hesitant to disclose their knowledge. The indigenous knowledge system of herbal practice is still very rich and available among traditional practioner.